Hiding Behind Masks
by YuKiKuRo
Summary: Sometimes people hides behind masks to hide their real emotions. But soon, his rejecting makes her hope fade slowly away. Will it be too late for him to confess his REAL feelings?... but wait, somethings can't be late for eternity! [SasuSaku]


Chapter 1: Why doesn't She Ever Give Up?

"No."

"Oh," Sakura's hopeful face faded away. "... I understand." She added. Yes, every time she would come up with a hopeful idea, that Sasuke might have changed. But, her hopes were always shattered by just **two **statements: "No," and "You're annoying."

But, she's always like that. Everyday, after they have trained, she would ask him, and then be rejected all over again. Yet, what Sasuke doesn't get is... after she would be depressed, she would flash him a smile and leave, like nothing happened. Let me demonstrate...

"Good Morning, Sasuke-kun! Would you want to get some bit to eat before you go?" Sakura would ask hopefully. **But **the only answer Sakura gets would be...

"No." He would answer, a sharp and hurting answer. It stung Sakura's delicate heart when he would reject her.

"Are you sure?" She would ask again.

He would begin walking away, and then glare at her sharply over his shoulder. "You're annoying."

Some seconds later, she would dash in front of him and flash a smile. "All right. Bye, Sasuke-kun."

She would walk away at the opposite path where Sasuke's walking on to.

That's how it all happens. Every day. And Naruto? Well, he's hanging more often with Hinata. You could regularly see the two at Ichiraku. And After those happenings... Sakura is nowhere to be found. Sometimes Ino would ask Sasuke, "Hey, Sasuke, have you seen Sakura? I haven't seen her since after training." Ino would ask, she had stopped obsessing over him and paid more attention to Shikamaru instead, who would find it really troublesome .

Sasuke would just walk passed Ino with no answer. Ino would sigh, and... "Troublesome. I don't een know why I liked him some time ago." Ino would mutter to herself, just the way Shikamaru would do.

But... this day is different, after all those daily routines, Sasuke's brain took over. _I'll find for her. Wait, NO!... On second thought, yeah... WAIT, WHAT THE HELL AM I THINKING I WON'T! I REFUSE! _But, even if he's struggling to not look for her, his feet disobeyed.

When finally, he saw Sakura. Where he least would expect her... Training Grounds. There she is, beating a log to a pulp. "Must... train." She uttered to herself. Sasuke stared at her, behind a tree. He could see determination written all over her face. And this is the only time he had noticed how much she had grown.

He hid his chakra well, but...

She paused from training and stood up straight. "Show yourself."

He was startled, first time in his dear life that he has been spotted despite hiding his chakra. He decided to show up, when Sakura saw him. "Oh..." She didn't show her face, but Sasuke knew that she's not smiling. "Hi, Sasuke-kun. What brought you here?" She greeted in a cheery tone. Odd. Sasuke sworn that Sakura's "Oh." Was depressed. He started to leave without a response.

She didn't bother to stop him, which surprised him though.

When he left, Sakura continued to train. Tears falling from her green orbs. _He hasn't seen me cry, I hope._

Sasuke thought for a while. And I couldn't type what he's thinking because it would be too long. But the final statement that had been staying ion his head until the next day was... "Why Doesn't She Ever Give Up when I have rejected her for long."

And then he decided he would ask this to her... He would ask... "Why are you crying while you're training?"

* * *

Next Chapter... Sneak Peek...

"Sasuke-kun..." Sakura muttered, while standing up. He didn't know why, but she saw her training at the Sakura Forest. "Please..." She added.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, he knows she would ask him for a date, but he's wrong. "Fight me." She looked back with a strange look of determination.

He wanted to wipe off that smug of hers, yes, smug. He didn't want to hurt her.. He doesn't have the courage... Does that mean?... He already loves her?


End file.
